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From: dgary@ecsvax.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.philosophy
Subject: Re: B.F. Skinner (and dead Greeks)
Message-ID: <2857@ecsvax.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 6-Jul-84 13:08:13 EDT
Article-I.D.: ecsvax.2857
Posted: Fri Jul  6 13:08:13 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 7-Jul-84 23:48:37 EDT
References: flairvax.600
Lines: 17

Skinner and his ilk delight in ridiculing the notion of free will.  It is,
in fact, very difficult to argue logically in favor of free will, but I think
I can argue in favor of BELIEVING in free will...

Either there is free will or there isn't.  If there isn't it makes no
difference what you believe (and you have no choice anyway).  If there is
free will, however, you are correct if you believe in it, wrong otherwise.
Not believing in free will might lead you to choose (by free will) a course
dependent on the notion that free will doesn't exist.  Ever heard somebody
say, "I don't wear a seatbelt.  I believe if it's your time to go, you go."

Personally, I sometimes hang around after 5.

D Gary Grady
Duke University Computation Center, Durham, NC  27706
(919) 684-4146
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